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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Thoughts on the iPod shuffle

View Poll Results: Thoughts on the iPod shuffle?
Poll Options:
Ordered the 512MB one 29 votes (16.96%)
Ordered the 1GB one 47 votes (27.49%)
Waiting for reviews 38 votes (22.22%)
Waiting for rush to die down 27 votes (15.79%)
Are you kidding me? 30 votes (17.54%)
Voters: 171. You may not vote on this poll
Thoughts on the iPod shuffle (Page 3)
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maxintosh
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Jan 13, 2005, 01:26 PM
 
Originally posted by newcomer:
Anyone know what these are priced at (the 512MB and the 1GB) in the US Education store?

Also; I have an (early) 2003 800MHz G3 iBook - am I USB 1, 1.1 or 2? And is anything less than 2 going to be prohibitively slow for mp3 transfer?

The Shuffle is just what I've been waiting for. I've never had the need even for a 4GB player, so I've never really been able to justify the expense of a mini or a normal iPod.

But this I love. The new mini Mac looks pretty rockin' as well.
$99 and $139 in the US education store. ($10 discount on the 1 GB model.)

You have USB 1.1. Should take about 10 minutes to fill up the entire iPod shuffle at these speeds. But most of the time, only a few songs will be replaced by AutoFill, unless your library is very large.
     
Sparkletron
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Jan 13, 2005, 02:06 PM
 
Originally posted by Randman:
Gee, it's only selling like hotcakes. And of course competing vendors will diss it.

We'll come back in a year and you can eat crow.
It's a deal.

-S
     
Forbodium
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Jan 13, 2005, 02:17 PM
 
Thanks for the suggestion of the current Mini, but I need a flash-based audio player. I�d certainly buy the Mini if it was that. Apple has ignored my needs. I want a music player that allows me to select albums, but a HD-based player is not going to work for me because of the problems people have with theirs during physical activity. And please don�t tell me to use an armband, because my arms move around too much during the times I�d be iPoding for that to work. How long should I be required to wait for the premium flash bling bling Power-Pod (or whatever they would call it)? And when is Apple going to wise-up to the advantage of a replaceable battery?

And is anything less than [usb]2 going to be prohibitively slow for mp3 transfer?
It will be a minimum of 11minutes, 22seconds for any computer to fill the 1gig via a USB1 port. I call that prohibitively slow. They shoulda offered something with firewire - Like a flash-based Mini.
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Disgruntled Head of C-3PO
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Jan 13, 2005, 02:24 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:

The negatives are numerous missing features such as FM radio, recording, scheduled recording, A/B looping, continuous play of a single song, support for more codecs such as Ogg and FLAC, etc., etc. And no removable battery! And only one color.
I don't think I am alone when I say none of those things matter to me. I am selling my 15 Gig ipod for the shuffle which I ordered.

For me the biggest selling point was the small size and the neck strap. Also the face that I can plug it into ANY usb port without having to have a proprietary cable with me is awesome.

The number of times I have been somewhere with a Mac and wanted to charge or copy a song/file but couldn't because the iPod doesn't have a firewire port.

I don't care about the colours, I like white.
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Sparkletron
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Jan 13, 2005, 02:38 PM
 
Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
For me the biggest selling point was the small size and the neck strap. Also the face that I can plug it into ANY usb port without having to have a proprietary cable with me is awesome.
Well other vendors have offered even smaller units with neck straps that have built-in USB connectors and tons more features, and have been selling such units for some time, so the fact that it syncs with iTunes must be a huge factor, right?

-S
     
Mr Scruff
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Jan 13, 2005, 02:45 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Well other vendors have offered even smaller units with neck straps that have built-in USB connectors and tons more features, and have been selling such units for some time, so the fact that it syncs with iTunes must be a huge factor, right?

-S
The fact that it syncs with iTunes is a huge factor. On the mac especially, it's the only game in town. I don't like other media players, and I certainly don't want to be dragging and dropping files onto the player myself (which is what happens with other players I've used).

To be honest, I've used other flash players and they've had crap interfaces, feature implementations, sound quality and have also been pretty buggy. I expect Apple to get the simple stuff right.

As I stated earlier, if the bass response is acceptable on portable headphones I'm ready to order.
     
Disgruntled Head of C-3PO
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Jan 13, 2005, 03:02 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Well other vendors have offered even smaller units with neck straps that have built-in USB connectors and tons more features, and have been selling such units for some time, so the fact that it syncs with iTunes must be a huge factor, right?

-S
Also the simple interface.

yes iTunes is important, I wouldn't get any device that didn't work as all my music is in iTunes and I don't want to drag files around in the finder. I had an iomega MP3 player years ago and I didn't like it all that much as it didn't work with iTunes.

I think the thing that finally sold me on the shuffle was that new iTunes feature where it randomly takes higher rated tracks or playlists and copies them over.

So you never know what you are going to get which is cool.
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Sparkletron
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Jan 13, 2005, 03:09 PM
 
Only Apple could turn no choice and lack of features into something cool.

-S
     
Forbodium
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Jan 13, 2005, 03:16 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
The negatives are numerous missing features such as FM radio, recording, scheduled recording, A/B looping, continuous play of a single song, support for more codecs such as Ogg and FLAC, etc., etc. And no removable battery!
I know I'd appreciate all or any of those things. Of course I'd still want some way to switch between albums as well. OK, so it would cost more than the Shuffler. Why not offer a flash player that competes more directly with the ones offered by other brands? Let seamless integration with iTunes be a feature as well.
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Sparkletron
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Jan 13, 2005, 03:29 PM
 
I've got an idea that will surely please Shuffle fans. How about if the Shuffle randomly decides when to turn on/off. And the volume is random as well!

-S
     
Disgruntled Head of C-3PO
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Jan 13, 2005, 03:39 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Only Apple could turn no choice and lack of features into something cool.

-S
Simplicity actually.
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ender2002
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Jan 13, 2005, 05:25 PM
 
potential customer: "wait. so you're telling me it plays everything randomly? why? Where the fsck is the SCREEN. Why random!?"

Apple: "Well... uh... 'Life is Random'�, so is this."

anyway,
i'm can't wait to get my hands on one!
     
sworthy
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Jan 13, 2005, 08:13 PM
 
For the people dismissing the shuffle:

1) It definitely is not targeted towards everyone

2) Not having a screen does kind of suck... if that's how you use it. I'd imagine a TON of people just use it at the gym, or while walking around. They aren't changing songs anyway.

3) Others will say: USB flash storage and bonus mp3 player, sweet!

4) If that still doesn't convince you, great! Apple would love to up-sell you to an iPod mini or regular iPod.

5) Either way, I am convinced it will not be a failure. As it has been proven, people pay attention to the price. When someone sees $99 they will be more likely to check it out. Maybe they'll see a Mac mini or something else they like at the store. More traffic is good!
     
Disgruntled Head of C-3PO
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Jan 13, 2005, 08:21 PM
 
So orders at the Apple store for the shuffle have gone from 1-2 weeks to 3-4 weeks.

Thank god I placed my order last night.
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Spheric Harlot
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Jan 13, 2005, 08:42 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Only Apple could turn no choice and lack of features into something cool.

-S
Actually, Apple is the only company to realize that a poorly implemented/half-working feature is actually detrimental to real-life product value.

Apple: "If it's crap, leave it off the box."

Everyone else: "NOW WITH NEW FEATURE XXXX AND A 16-CHARACTER DISPLAY!!!"

EVERYBODY I know who has one of those flash stick mp3 players with display says the same thing: the display is bloody useless.
     
Disgruntled Head of C-3PO
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Jan 13, 2005, 08:55 PM
 
Personally I don't want an radio built into anything when I got 200+ songs.
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PowerTower Fan
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Jan 13, 2005, 10:06 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Only Apple could turn no choice and lack of features into something cool.

-S
Well looking at how many iPods Apple sold last quarter, even though there are other mp3 players on the market with more features such as voice recording and fm tuner, I'd say simplicity is more important to consumers than throwing in tons of features in an uglier design. Apple is growing a very good track record with mp3 players so until their market share starts dropping, why second guess them.
     
LeeG
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Jan 14, 2005, 01:13 AM
 
I ordered a 1Gb yesterday.

For all the naysayers - this is a particular product for a particular market. If you don't like the features...DON'T BUY ONE.

I have a 2nd Gen 20Gb iPod (2 yrs old), and I love it. I bring it every day to work in the car, then walking from the garage to work (~10min), then to my office, then back again at the end of the day. The 2nd Gen iPod, in a marware case is a BULKY brick. I only need about 20 songs to get through the day, and I use a changing smart playlist on the ipod, so I almost never use the screen. I just go forward if I don't like the song that comes on - thus the shuffle- PERFECT for me. I also don't have to carry my flash drive anymore - (it was a 256), now that will be on the shuffle too - consolidation is good. iTunes integration is ESSENTIAL. I want all my music, my iTMS music, and my SMART playlists - for me thats the key to the shuffle's appeal - the smart playlist will always keep it fresh. In essence, I have been using a shuffle for a while, but in a 20Gb body...

Why do people have to crap all over something? If you don't want it, fine, but it serves a great purpose to a specific market (me!), when I want ALL my music (vacation, long road trips, etc), I will bring the big boy. On the daily commute - I'll be shuffling....

:Lee:
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vmpaul
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Jan 14, 2005, 01:36 AM
 
whoah. 20,000 in 4 hours.

iPodLounge

Vendors on the show floor at San Francisco Macworld Expo reported today that Apple's retail store in San Francisco sold 20,000 iPod shuffle units in its first four hours of availability this week, depleting its entire inventory. As iPodlounge notes in its upcoming review of the iPod shuffle, while some individuals purchased four, six, and nine of the 512MB, $99 units, the day's record was apparently set by someone who purchased 24 at once. iPod shuffles are currently shipping to Apple retail stores.
     
moki
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Jan 14, 2005, 04:10 AM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Compared to other Flash-based players, the Shuffle has numerous negatives and only one positive.

The negatives are numerous missing features such as FM radio, recording, scheduled recording, A/B looping, continuous play of a single song, support for more codecs such as Ogg and FLAC, etc., etc. And no removable battery! And only one color.

The only positive that I can identify is integration with iTunes--something other vendors would provide if Apple would allow it.

This article suggests that most competing vendors don't think very highly of the Shuffle either...
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01...raid/index.php>

Of course none of this has anything to do with success. Microsoft has already proven that crap can be successful. Still, I predict that this thing is not your grandpa's iPod and will fail.

-S
Support for Ogg and FLAC is utterly irrelevant to the target market for this device. Indeed, it's less than irrelevant, it isn't even on the radar screen.

I think Apple has this one nailed - they haven't taken the kitchen sink approach to designing a device, they've included just what most people want, and haven't mucked it up with anything that a small percentage of the population is interested in.

You will notice, of course, that the iPod, iPod mini, and iPod photo also lack Ogg and FLAC support, lack a radio, lack a removable battery, and lack any kind of recording as well. Yet the iPods dominate the market.

It's incredibly easy to punt on the design of a product by putting in every feature under the sun, and letting the user sort it out. It's harder to design a device that does what most people want it to do, and does it exceptionally well, and is easy to operate. Thankfully Apple is doing the latter, and is being rewarded for designing a usable device, rather than a spork.

The iPod Shuffle is a small, light iPod for people on the go; it compliments their regular iPod line rather than attempts to replace it. It will primarily be bought by people on the go, for use while jogging, exercising, skiing, and other such activities where small size and light weight is important.

Ever tried running while listening to the radio? It sucks, commercials break the mood entirely. Ever wanted to do a voice recording while you're snow boarding? It's not exactly a very common thing to want to do. Ever bemoaned not having Ogg support while lifting weights? I find it unlikely that many people who weight train have even heard of anything much beyond mp3s.

Nah, I think Apple has hit another home run here, and is cleaning up the lower-end of the market.
( Last edited by moki; Jan 14, 2005 at 04:16 AM. )
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segaslave
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Jan 14, 2005, 07:26 AM
 
i have to say i am totally happy with the shuffle, i dont need a screen to waste battery life and make the player bigger. its for people that either work out or just want to carry something around thats light and alot less fragile than an hd player. less than 1 ounce if its dropped it cant possible hurt it much. most of my itunes playlists run in shuffle anyways so i dont care what order the songs are in or need a screen to pick a song out ill take life at random and have the soundtrack to go with it.
:rolleyes:
     
Dalhectar
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Jan 14, 2005, 09:06 AM
 
My feelings are mixed. I would have liked a radio, but I also like the price, and compared to the iRiver, a radio is not worth an extra $100. I think Apple has a winner.
     
Nawoo
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Jan 14, 2005, 11:20 AM
 
so when is the shuffle scheduled to hit stores?
     
Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 11:50 AM
 
Repeat post...
     
Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 11:53 AM
 
Originally posted by moki:
Ever tried running while listening to the radio? It sucks, commercials break the mood entirely. Ever wanted to do a voice recording while you're snow boarding? It's not exactly a very common thing to want to do. Ever bemoaned not having Ogg support while lifting weights? I find it unlikely that many people who weight train have even heard of anything much beyond mp3s.
Ever find your battery die while you're hiking/bicycling/camping far away from an outlet and wish that you could just pop in a fresh AAA as with all the other flashmem players? Ever get bored of your tunes and wish you could just tune in to NPR for a bit to catch the weather and news? Ever want to listen to a new song in your rotation a few dozen times before moving on, and pine for the repeat track feature that all the other players have? Ever wish you could lower/raise the bass for a particular track by adjusting the equalizer? Ever wish you could carry just one product that can handle all your playing/recording/dictation needs instead of having to carry separate units?

Not all the missing features I mentioned are equally significant, but the Shuffle is missing some pretty basic stuff. I would have liked to have seen something just like the iPod Mini--only using flashmem instead of an HD (and cheaper). A significant part of the value of the original iPods is its PDA functionality and expandability. Hence the popularity of so many iPod aftermarket solutions like FM transmitters. People want more, not less. More and better--not less. Convergence, not no frills. The Shuffle doesn't strike me as a platform for aftermarket extras--other than its lanyard hook...

-S
     
Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 11:54 AM
 
Also, do not discount the seductive power of colored anodized metal chassis! Make my Shuffle a Titanium, please...

-S
     
dazzla
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Jan 14, 2005, 01:23 PM
 
Quick question to any owners of the shuffle (or anyone who hapens to know the answer). Presuming you can upload multiple playlists to the shuffle, when in normal playback mode can you jump between playlists?
     
moki
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Jan 14, 2005, 02:46 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Ever find your battery die while you're hiking/bicycling/camping far away from an outlet and wish that you could just pop in a fresh AAA as with all the other flashmem players? Ever get bored of your tunes and wish you could just tune in to NPR for a bit to catch the weather and news? Ever want to listen to a new song in your rotation a few dozen times before moving on, and pine for the repeat track feature that all the other players have? Ever wish you could lower/raise the bass for a particular track by adjusting the equalizer? Ever wish you could carry just one product that can handle all your playing/recording/dictation needs instead of having to carry separate units?
The answer to the majority of your questions -- for me -- would be "no". No, I have never wished I could tune in NPR. No, I have never wanted to catch a little news while engaging in the activities that I'd be doing while using the iPod Shuffle.

Everything you mention applies to the iPod, iPod mini, and iPod photo as well -- and they have all been smash success stories in the marketplace. Products from Creative, etc. with all of the bells and whistles you seem to believe people want have barely made a dent in the market (and indeed, lost marketshare in 2004). Again, I think Apple has their target market (which may not be you) utterly nailed.

I definitely would not want to the ability to pop in another AAA battery, because that would mean the iPod Shuffle would be much heavier and bulkier to accommodate said battery, and you'd also lose the simple convenience of simply plugging the device into your computer to recharge it while you load new songs on it.

I do have one question for you: have you used the iPod Shuffle yet?
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LeeG
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Jan 14, 2005, 03:08 PM
 
Not trying to spark a fight, but just honest answers to your questions, having used a 2nd gen iPod for 2 full years-


Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Ever find your battery die while you're hiking/bicycling/camping far away from an outlet and wish that you could just pop in a fresh AAA as with all the other flashmem players?
Never been an issue for me (battery life), and the shuffle way outlasts the 20Gb.

Ever get bored of your tunes and wish you could just tune in to NPR for a bit to catch the weather and news?
Never.

Ever want to listen to a new song in your rotation a few dozen times before moving on, and pine for the repeat track feature that all the other players have?
Yes, I have wanted to hear new music after I bought it, so my "Recently Added" playlist is what I would sync when I want to listen to new music, and I would turn off the shuffle feature so I could just press "back" to hear a song again.

Ever wish you could lower/raise the bass for a particular track by adjusting the equalizer?
Never.

Ever wish you could carry just one product that can handle all your playing/recording/dictation needs instead of having to carry separate units?
I have no dictation needs, in fact I never have throughout college, graduate school, or my professional career.

People want more, not less. More and better--not less. Convergence, not no frills.
This I actually disagree with - the reason Jobs has said they are so reluctant to add extra features is "it's the music!" The gadgeteers like uber-feature sets, the public likes a MUSIC PLAYER. period. How many kids/moms/etc need dictation ability? Or want to pay for that when they won't use it?

Just my thoughts, it is a very specific market Apple is targeting - those who want a music player, but don't want to spend $250 for one, let the numbers speak....


L
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andretan
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Jan 14, 2005, 04:03 PM
 
Originally posted by vmpaul:
whoah. 20,000 in 4 hours.

iPodLounge
They changed it to 2000.
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Forbodium
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Jan 14, 2005, 05:23 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Ever find your battery die while you're hiking/bicycling/camping far away from an outlet and wish that you could just pop in a fresh AAA as with all the other flashmem players? Ever get bored of your tunes and wish you could just tune in to NPR for a bit to catch the weather and news? Ever want to listen to a new song in your rotation a few dozen times before moving on, and pine for the repeat track feature that all the other players have? Ever wish you could lower/raise the bass for a particular track by adjusting the equalizer? Ever wish you could carry just one product that can handle all your playing/recording/dictation needs instead of having to carry separate units?
I don't need a built-in EQ, but for all the other questions, my answer is "Yes".

What are people going to do when the battery of their iPod/Mini/Shuffler goes bad and needs to be replaced?
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Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:11 PM
 
Originally posted by moki:
I definitely would not want to the ability to pop in another AAA battery, because that would mean the iPod Shuffle would be much heavier and bulkier to accommodate said battery
Heavier and bulkier is relative. You could add a battery of batteries to the Shuffle and it still wouldn't be as bulky as the iPod Mini. The MuVo holds a single AAA and doesn't seem bulky to me at all. The Shuffle is longer than the MuVo even without an external battery.

Anyway, apparently Apple is hedging its bets on this one since they sell an external battery holder for the Shuffle.

Originally posted by moki:
you'd also lose the simple convenience of simply plugging the device into your computer to recharge it while you load new songs on it.
I doubt the Shuffle can charge itself in the time it takes to load up. Ten minutes?

Originally posted by moki:
I do have one question for you: have you used the iPod Shuffle yet?
No. Is there some part of the experience that I'm missing? I've had players with more features and I've had players with less. All else being equal, more is better. But I am happy that Apple has made the perfect product for you minimalists.

-S
     
lavar78
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:12 PM
 
Originally posted by Forbodium:
What are people going to do when the battery of their iPod/Mini/Shuffler goes bad and needs to be replaced?
(A) Replace it or (B) get a new one

Add me to the list of people who answered "no" to all those questions. I haven't voluntarily listened to the radio since that great day in 2001 when I got my first iPod. That's a good feeling.

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lavar78
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:15 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
All else being equal, more is better.
There's the problem right there: all else isn't equal.

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Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:21 PM
 
Originally posted by LeeG:
This I actually disagree with - the reason Jobs has said they are so reluctant to add extra features is "it's the music!" The gadgeteers like uber-feature sets, the public likes a MUSIC PLAYER. period. How many kids/moms/etc need dictation ability? Or want to pay for that when they won't use it?
Well some of the features I mentioned ARE about the music (e.g., repeat play, EQ, radio).

And Jobs did add a feature that no one wanted or asked for--the entire premise of the Shuffle--randomness. Whatever. Can I have a Shuffle without random play and pay even less please? I don't happen to share Job's taste in feature priority.

Wouldn't life be great if we could check off the features we wanted and pay for them a la carte?

-S
     
Sparkletron
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:28 PM
 
Originally posted by lavar78:
(A) Replace it or (B) get a new one
Translated...

(A) Send it to Apple for a replacement, since you cannot replace it yourself. D'Oh!

or

(B) Rethink buying a Shuffle in the first place.

-S
( Last edited by Sparkletron; Jan 14, 2005 at 06:36 PM. )
     
vmpaul
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:33 PM
 
Originally posted by andretan:
They changed it to 2000.
That sounds more realistic.
     
vmpaul
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Jan 14, 2005, 06:55 PM
 
dp
     
LeeG
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Jan 14, 2005, 07:02 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Well some of the features I mentioned ARE about the music (e.g., repeat play, EQ, radio).

And Jobs did add a feature that no one wanted or asked for--the entire premise of the Shuffle--randomness. Whatever. Can I have a Shuffle without random play and pay even less please? I don't happen to share Job's taste in feature priority.

Wouldn't life be great if we could check off the features we wanted and pay for them a la carte?

-S
Sarcasm aside, it seems this player is not right for you, it doesn't have the feature set you are looking for - which is fine. Especially in the flash market, there is a lot of choice, which is great.

It fits my needs perfectly, I had not been enticed by a flash player before with the price/size/iTunes integration that the shuffle has - thats why it was right for me. Its a tiny little package.

You may be right, people may prefer the other flash players out there, which is why they have 30% of the market (pretty substantial), the shuffle happens to be right for me, I have no idea how the market will receive it - time will tell...

As for battery life, I am using my 2nd gen iPod with the original battery, and no problems. What happens if another flash player's screen cracks? All products have some aspect of life-limitation, If my shuffle lasts 2 years, and I need to replace the battery, I'll probably put the money towards the 5Gb (or more) flash player they have then - for the same $99!

Lee
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lavar78
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Jan 14, 2005, 07:37 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Translated...

(A) Send it to Apple for a replacement, since you cannot replace it yourself. D'Oh!
My comment was a direct response to your question ("What are people going to do when the battery of their iPod/Mini/Shuffler goes bad and needs to be replaced?"). The batteries in the iPod and mini can be replaced by the user. I don't think the shuffle's battery can be replaced, but I'm sure someone will work something out soon.

(B) Rethink buying a Shuffle in the first place.

"I'm virtually bursting with adequatulence!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jan 14, 2005, 08:25 PM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Well some of the features I mentioned ARE about the music (e.g., repeat play, EQ, radio).

And Jobs did add a feature that no one wanted or asked for--the entire premise of the Shuffle--randomness. Whatever. Can I have a Shuffle without random play and pay even less please? I don't happen to share Job's taste in feature priority.
radio is most decidedly NOT about the music - for me.

One reason I have an iPod is because I can't stand listening to the radio (except one single station, late at night (after 10 p.m.), but I don't use my iPod at that time).

EQ is a nice feature, true, but not *necessary* for 90% of the market.

Shuffle has been a feature of every single digital music player since the very first Discman.


It's kind of ironic that people have been fretting that Apple only markets to a tiny elite for the past twenty years, and now that they're going after the mass market, people like you are attacking them for not catering to fringe users - or rather, a different fringe of users than you happen to be.

I won't be buying a shuffle (my next 'Pod will be the 80-gig when they release it, because that comes closest to fulfilling my needs), but I *do* accept that it's an absolutely brilliant device - for what it does.

I do wish they'd enable line-in recording capability, but I accept that they probably simply can't due to restrictions imposed by their status as a music distributor and the licensing deals that entails. That is my only gripe about the iPod, but the device so surpasses its competitors in almost every other regard that I'm prepared to compromise the point.

-s*
     
zolagol
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Jan 15, 2005, 12:22 AM
 
well after reading through the tons of articles and comments, i joined the iPod revolution but not with 'shuffle'...i went 'mini'...
a very cool player that suits my needs great and is great to carry with me during workouts, planes, and hotel stays....
Mac. When you want something that works. Period.
     
Lancer409
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Jan 15, 2005, 01:47 AM
 
messed up d/p. Sorry
-1
( Last edited by Lancer409; Jan 15, 2005 at 03:33 AM. )

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Lancer409
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Jan 15, 2005, 01:48 AM
 
Originally posted by pantalaimon:
how can you select a specific track you want to listen to without a screen?

what i do is put it on shuffle mode, and i fast forward until i get a song from the album or songs i know are near it (since i set the playlist, i have some vague idea of the order they play in).

when a random song comes close to the album/track i want, i set it back to regular play mode, and either reverse or fast forward to the specific song.


in other words, let's say i want to listen to song ... uhh .. *random number* 5 on colplays album on your shuffle. you would put it into shuffle mode, and fast foward until you get a coldplay song. then fast foward or reverse it until you get the specific song.

that's not apple's instructions, just what i tend to do when i listen on it. i brought it out along with my ipod 3g (backpack) and i wasnt tempted to take out the ipod 3g at all. commute to work, gym, headed home ... all on the shuffle. no aggrivation yet. it is harder to find specific songs, but it's not impossible.


i have it in this soft small cloth pouch thing, and it's fantastic how i can control the player without ever looking at it. the 3g was more trouble, and i'm sure any ipod/ipodmini would be more of a hassle to control compared to the shuffle. that said, they can pick out a song very quickly, and they hold waaaay more.

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moki
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Jan 15, 2005, 03:58 AM
 
The iPod Shuffle works well as a hard drive.

I was talking with a reviewer for MacWorld at the expo, and after the interview, we were trying to figure out how to get the beta versions of our software from my laptop onto laptop.

"Do you have a firewire cable?"... "nope"... hrm

"Do you have an ethernet cable?"... "nope"... hrm

"Do you have airport?"... "nope"... hrm

We sat there and pondered the issue like a pair of idiots, when I suddenly thought of the iPod Shuffle I had hanging around my neck.

"We're idiots" I said.

Anyway, I plugged it in, resized the partition to allow for more drive space... to my surprise, it resized the volume instantaneously, and I copied the data onto it, unplugged it, and copied the data off of the Shuffle and onto his machine.

Then I put the headphones into my ears, and listened to some Jane's Addiction as I walked back to our booth.

Nice.
Andrew Welch / el Presidente / Ambrosia Software, Inc.
     
Lancer409
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Jan 15, 2005, 04:40 AM
 
Originally posted by moki:
The iPod Shuffle works well as a hard drive.

I was talking with a reviewer for MacWorld at the expo, and after the interview, we were trying to figure out how to get the beta versions of our software from my laptop onto laptop.

"Do you have a firewire cable?"... "nope"... hrm

"Do you have an ethernet cable?"... "nope"... hrm

"Do you have airport?"... "nope"... hrm

We sat there and pondered the issue like a pair of idiots, when I suddenly thought of the iPod Shuffle I had hanging around my neck.

"We're idiots" I said.

Anyway, I plugged it in, resized the partition to allow for more drive space... to my surprise, it resized the volume instantaneously, and I copied the data onto it, unplugged it, and copied the data off of the Shuffle and onto his machine.

Then I put the headphones into my ears, and listened to some Jane's Addiction as I walked back to our booth.

Nice.

Thanks for the macworld passes =) Went by your booth and was checking out the demo. Recording DVD movies Faaaaaantastic. Great stuff. I remember see'ing one of the booth guys try to give away a mousepad to someone who was walking off and didnt hear. I didnt get a mousepad though. Anyways, thanks again for the passes!

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moki
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Jan 16, 2005, 12:11 AM
 
Originally posted by Lancer409:
Thanks for the macworld passes =) Went by your booth and was checking out the demo. Recording DVD movies Faaaaaantastic. Great stuff. I remember see'ing one of the booth guys try to give away a mousepad to someone who was walking off and didnt hear. I didnt get a mousepad though. Anyways, thanks again for the passes!
Very cool -- glad you enjoyed the show! Follow the links in my .sig to download the products we showed.
Andrew Welch / el Presidente / Ambrosia Software, Inc.
     
hayesk
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Jan 16, 2005, 01:45 AM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Well other vendors have offered even smaller units with neck straps that have built-in USB connectors and tons more features, and have been selling such units for some time, so the fact that it syncs with iTunes must be a huge factor, right?
Yeah, and either at a higher price or a much smaller capacity. One album is not enough for me thanks, and I don't need radio if I have my own music. Why do people want radio so much? Do you like listening to ads and chatter, or would you not rather have your own music? If you want radio so bad, you can buy tiny FM radios and are smaller than the shuffle or any flash player on the market.
     
hayesk
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Jan 16, 2005, 02:03 AM
 
Originally posted by Forbodium:
I know I'd appreciate all or any of those things. Of course I'd still want some way to switch between albums as well. OK, so it would cost more than the Shuffler. Why not offer a flash player that competes more directly with the ones offered by other brands? Let seamless integration with iTunes be a feature as well.
Probably because that market is saturated. It's harder to distinguish yourself. Apple would basically have to make a flash based iPod mini - I don't think they could do that and be cheap enough to be more compelling than the mini.

$99 for 512MB is matched by nobody. It's getting attention and it's creating a new segment in the flash market.
     
hayesk
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Jan 16, 2005, 02:10 AM
 
Originally posted by Sparkletron:
Ever find your battery die while you're hiking/bicycling/camping far away from an outlet and wish that you could just pop in a fresh AAA as with all the other flashmem players?
Uhm no. And if you do, there is a snap on battery pack for the shuffle that takes AAA batteries. And before you reply "that increases the size of it", well, you don't go camping every day. You would only need that once in a while.


Ever get bored of your tunes and wish you could just tune in to NPR for a bit to catch the weather and news?
Never.

Ever want to listen to a new song in your rotation a few dozen times before moving on, and pine for the repeat track feature that all the other players have?
If I want to hear a song again, I'll press the Back button.

Ever wish you could lower/raise the bass for a particular track by adjusting the equalizer?
No. I don't tend to futz around with an EQ. I listen to music the way it was recorded.

Ever wish you could carry just one product that can handle all your playing/recording/dictation needs instead of having to carry separate units?
Considering I don't and have never had "recording needs" the iPod shuffle will suit me fine.

Not all the missing features I mentioned are equally significant, but the Shuffle is missing some pretty basic stuff.
Niche stuff actually. I've never seen anyone record or take dictation with their MP3 player.

I would have liked to have seen something just like the iPod Mini--only using flashmem instead of an HD (and cheaper).
It wouldn't be cheap enough to be compelling over the mini. That stuff costs money too.

A significant part of the value of the original iPods is its PDA functionality and expandability.
I agree. But not everyone needs that.

The Shuffle doesn't strike me as a platform for aftermarket extras--other than its lanyard hook...
It's not designed for lots of extras, other than batter pack, armband, etc.

It's designed for people who just want to listen to their music, and not pay a lot of money. Who would want that?
     
 
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